Skill up: Bridging the skills gap — Why manufacturers are investing in educational partnerships
It’s no secret that the manufacturing industry has a workforce problem. Despite continued growth in the sector, attracting and retaining the right workers is a concern that keeps many executives up at night. A recent report predicts that the manufacturing industry will need as many as 3.8 million new workers by 2033, but 1.9 million of those jobs could go unfilled. To combat this issue, manufacturers, industry organizations, and government officials at all levels are investing in education and training opportunities across the country. Here are a few examples of how industrial stakeholders are coming together to inspire, educate, and train the next generation of manufacturing workers.
Indian River State College will receive $4 million from the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to establish the Institute for Industrial Manufacturing and Production Training, as announced by Governor Ron DeSantis. This initiative aims to deliver accelerated vocational training to support the needs of industrial manufacturers in Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie counties. In a recent quote, Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly said, "Governor DeSantis' commitment and focus on infrastructure and workforce investments, especially in target sectors like manufacturing and aerospace and aviation, continues to support job creation and economic prosperity in Florida. These strategic investments in Indian River, Miami-Dade, Highlands and Wakulla Counties will support economic growth and provide new opportunities for job seekers and job creators in these communities."
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SME has awarded Greenville Technical College the inaugural Workforce Development Innovations Award for its efforts in preparing students for successful careers in manufacturing through innovative workforce development initiatives. In a recent quote, Jeannine Kunz, executive director and CEO of SME, said, “In an era where skilled talent is the key to manufacturing success, Greenville Technical College stands out as a leader in workforce development. Their commitment to equipping students with real-world skills, fostering industry collaboration, and advancing manufacturing education exemplifies the spirit of this award. SME is honored to recognize their achievements and impact.” Greenville Technical College’s Advanced Manufacturing, Transportation, and Technology programs, supported by strong industry partnerships and cutting-edge facilities, have achieved impressive job placement rates of 89% and 93% in their respective fields.
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Montana State University has appointed Kevin Amende as the inaugural holder of the Asbjornson Manufacturing Chair and to lead its new Master of Manufacturing Engineering program, launching this fall. The non-thesis program, housed within the Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering, is designed for both traditional students and working professionals, with completion timelines ranging from 12 to 24 months. In a recent quote, Brett Gunnink, dean of the engineering college, said, “The program is designed to support traditional engineering students as well as working professionals. It continues our college’s tradition of providing strong, hands-on education for engineers.”
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Ohio University, HTC VIVE, and Virtualware have launched the Digital Enterprise Collaboratory (DEC), a new initiative aimed at advancing digital engineering and workforce development in Ohio’s growing advanced manufacturing sector. The program leverages XR technologies and Ohio University’s educational expertise to enhance research, training, and collaboration across academia, industry, government, and the Department of Air Force Research Laboratories. In a recent quote, Scott Miller, associate dean for Industry Partnerships at Ohio University’s Russ College of Engineering and Technology, said, “This program represents a bold step forward in immersive digital engineering. By integrating XR technology into our educational and research programs, we are preparing the next generation of engineers to think spatially, act collaboratively, and solve real-world problems. Manufacturing is Ohio’s largest industry sector that is contributing 17.5% of the state’s GDP and we need to prepare our local workforce for the new jobs in advanced manufacturing.”
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The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is launching a new research center dedicated to developing additive manufacturing methods for large metal parts, supported by a $9.06 million budget, including $8.15 million from the U.S. Department of Defense. The center will collaborate with the U.S. Army, DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center, and Rock Island Arsenal to create scalable industrial processes that enhance the military’s supply chain agility and efficiency. In a recent quote, Bill King, mechanical science and engineering professor at Illinois Grainger Engineering, said, “We are building the world’s first university research center focused on large metal additive manufacturing. We will conduct fundamental research on material properties and part quality, and we will have a factory demonstration facility to develop new processes and technologies. Grainger Engineering is uniquely positioned to lead this center with our expertise across multiple engineering disciplines and our proven track record of delivering working solutions.”
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